The Interstate Renewable Power Council (IREC) has launched the 15th annual National Solar Jobs Census, reporting that the U.S. photo voltaic trade employed 280,119 staff in 2024, roughly stage with the trade’s 2023 employment.
Though these 2024 information don’t seize the impacts of main federal power coverage adjustments enacted for the reason that new administration took workplace in January 2025 — such because the cancellation of key tax credit as a part of the repeal of the Inflation Discount Act — they set up an important baseline for measuring the results of those insurance policies on photo voltaic and different clear power employment within the years forward.
The Nationwide Photo voltaic Jobs Census is the annual depend of photo voltaic and solar-plus-storage jobs in the USA. It has been revealed since 2010. The 2024 Census consists of employment information from all 50 states, in addition to employment figures throughout sectors and job roles.
“This yr’s Census offers the trade and policymakers one thing they critically want: a transparent baseline,” stated Chris Nichols, IREC Interim CEO. “Federal coverage adjustments are reshaping the panorama. This Census will function the inspiration for understanding impacts on staff, communities, and the trade’s capability to ship dependable, inexpensive clear power in future years.”
“The photo voltaic and storage trade is bringing well-paying jobs to communities throughout the nation,” stated Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Photo voltaic Power Industries Affiliation (SEIA). “States like Ohio, Georgia, Utah and Texas are seeing large financial advantages and job development from photo voltaic and storage tasks that decrease prices for households and companies and strengthen the grid. Utilizing information from the Photo voltaic Census will help employers and policymakers tackle these challenges.”
Full photo voltaic and storage employment image
The Census counts staff who spend the vast majority of their time on solar-related actions, ensuing within the core determine of 280,119 photo voltaic jobs. When together with staff who spent a plurality of their time on photo voltaic work, complete photo voltaic employment rises to 370,556 jobs.
The Census additionally tracked employment in battery power storage. The enlargement of power storage deployment has led to important job development. The variety of staff in clear storage occupations elevated by 3,905 jobs in 2024, rising 4% yr over yr to succeed in 93,497 staff. Within the five-year interval between 2019 and 2024, the clear storage sector added 13,798 web jobs, marking 17% development.
Altogether, the photo voltaic and storage industries employed 464,053 U.S. staff in 2024. Photo voltaic continued to make use of extra individuals than any clear power sector besides power effectivity, and greater than 3 times as many staff because the coal trade.
Job tendencies by state and trade section
California remained the highest state for photo voltaic jobs in 2024 regardless of dropping roughly 1,000 jobs after state coverage adjustments affected its residential market. Florida, Texas, New York and Massachusetts adopted because the next-largest employers of photo voltaic staff. For the fourth consecutive yr, Nevada ranked first in photo voltaic jobs per capita. Explore an interactive map of Solar Jobs by State here.
States with notable will increase in photo voltaic jobs in 2024 included Ohio (5%), Georgia (4.5%), Utah (3.5%) and Texas (3%) — all Republican-leaning “purple” states, underscoring that photo voltaic power is being deployed throughout the political spectrum. Among the many 33 states that grew their photo voltaic workforce, 25 voted for President Trump within the 2024 presidential election.
Employment diverse throughout photo voltaic’s main trade segments. There have been 178,713 jobs in set up and venture growth, practically two-thirds of all photo voltaic jobs. There have been 34,625 jobs in wholesale commerce and distribution; 32,491 in manufacturing, and 21,833 in operations and upkeep. These roles spanned building, electrical work, engineering, gross sales, software program, advertising, finance and administration.
The Nationwide Photo voltaic Jobs Census attracts on information initially collected for the U.S. Dept. of Power’s United States Power and Employment Report. The findings are primarily based on IREC’s evaluation of a rigorous survey administered by BW Analysis to 42,800 U.S. power companies within the fourth quarter of 2024 and first quarter of 2025, with 10,900 companies offering full survey responses.
Information merchandise from IREC
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